Additional Arrest Made in Arizona Related to the Occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge

Additional Arrest Made in Arizona Related to the Occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge

At 8:30 p.m. (PST) on Tuesday, January 26, 2016, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Phoenix Division made a probable cause arrest of Jon Eric Ritzheimer, age 32, on a federal charge related to the armed occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Harney County, Oregon. Ritzheimer turned himself into the Peoria, Arizona, Police Department. The arrest was without incident.

Ritzheimer faces one federal felony charge of conspiracy to impede officers of the United States from discharging their official duties through the use of force, intimidation, or threats, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 372.

The FBI made the Arizona arrest in conjunction with a series of other arrests made by FBI and Oregon State Police in Harney County, Oregon, earlier in the evening. The following individuals also face the same charge:

Ammon Edward Bundy, age 40, of Emmett, Idaho

Ryan C. Bundy, age 43, of Bunkerville, Nevada

Brian Cavalier, age 44, of Bunkerville, Nevada

Shawna Cox, age 59, Kanab, Utah

Ryan Waylen Payne, age 32, of Anaconda, Montana

Joseph Donald O’Shaughnessy, age 45, of Cottonwood, Arizona

Peter Santilli, age 50, of Cincinnati, Ohio

We continue to work with Harney County Sheriff Dave Ward and his deputies and the United States Attorney’s Office to address any further outstanding issues. As the investigation is ongoing, we cannot comment further at this time.